Parachute.



PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

J. EDWARDS.

PARACHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1904.

lilo. 792,586.

Patented June 20, 1905.

A'HZNT Orricn.

JOSEPH EDTVARDS, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

PARAOHUTE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,586, dated June 20, 1905.

Application filed July 20, 1904. Serial No. 217,868.

T 0 all 1071 0111, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH EDWARDS, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in the city of Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a new and useful Parachute, of which the following is a specification.

The invention consists of a toy parachute; and the objects are to provide means for holding the parachute in a collapsed condition and means by which it may be thrown into a high altitude in its collapsed condition, and when it has reached its limit of elevation it may readily open up and gradually descend. The means provided for holding it in its collapsed condition also gives a very convenient purchase on the parachute for throwing it into the air and also acts as a weight by which the parachute is caused to descend by gravitation.

I illustrate the invention by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the parachute in its collapsed condition ready to be thrown into the air. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parachute, showing it open and in its descending position. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the clamp open and in engagement with the throwing-cord and Weight-ball.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawings.

The parachute is in all respects similar to the ordinary type, but of a miniature scale and consisting of a case or dome a and the cords b, by which the weight and the means for throwing it into the air are connected. The cords b may be of any desired number, and for description I have shown eight. The cords are fastened to edge of the case or dome and the loose ends are all fastened together at e, and fastened to the cords at c and of any suitable length is a throwing-cord (Z, and fastened to the free end of the throwing-cord (Z is a weight-ball Slidably mounted on the throwing-cord (Z is a clamp f, and fastened to the center or apex of the case or dome a is a button r The clamp f consists of two wings 71 terminating in jaws 2', extending at right angles from the inner faces at the outer ends of the wings /1. The wings 71 are hinged together by a piece of canvas or suitable fabric j by cement or any suitable means, by which they may be held together. The throwingcord passes through the center of the canvas hinge between the Wings, there being a slight interval left between the two meeting edges of the wings.

To throw the parachute into the air, the case or dome a is collapsed and the clamp is drawn up on the throwing-cord until it is checked by the ends of the cords 71. The case or dome is then folded over and the button g is placed between the jaws v: of the wings h of the clamp f, as shown in Fig. 1. When the clamp is closed up, it forms a grip by which it may be taken in the hand, and the cord (Z may be swung around by the weight of the ball 0 until a high speed is obtained when it may be released at the proper moment and it Will rise into the air to a great height. The parachute being collapsed gives little resistance. When it reaches the limit of elevation, it starts to descend by gravity, and the clamp opens up, as shown in Fig. 3, and slides down to the weight a. At the same time the air expands the case or dome, which checks the rapidity of descent.

The case or dome may be made from paper or light-Weight fabric, and the clampf will be constructed from cardboard or wood, so as to be as light as possible, that it may be thrown a great height by the swinging of the ball 0.

I may also instead of fastening the throwing-cord to the ends of the cords b fasten the throwing-cord direct to the clamp f and fasten a small weight to the ends of the cords I), so that the throwing-cord will sever itself from the parachute proper and both come down independently, the parachute coming down the slower.

i/Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a parachute of the class described, a collapsible case or dome, binding-cords connected with the edges of the said case or dome, a throwing-cord fastened to the ends of the said binding-cords, a weight or ball fastened to the free end of the said throwing-cord, a clamp slidably mounted on the said throwingcord, said clamp adapted to engage and hold the case or dome in a collapsed condition and disengage itself therefrom, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a parachute of the class described, a

collapsible case or dome, cords connected with p the edges of said case or dome, a throwingeord fastened to the ends of said cords, aelamp mounted on the said throwing-cord, a button fastened to the top or apex of said case or dome, said clamp adapted to engage with the said button, and disengage itself from the but ton, means whereby the said parachute may be swung and thrown in its collapsed condi tion high into the air, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a parachute of the class described, a collapsible case or dome having bii'iding-cords connected with its edges, athrowing-cord having a ball fastened to its free end fastened to JOSEPH EDlVARDS.

\Vitn esses:

A. S. MAeKAY, A. A. Animus. 

